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Fantasia on Christmas Carols

Introduction

Like the Mystical Songs, the Fantasia on Christmas Carols was introduced by the composer at a Three Choirs Festival, this time at Hereford in 1912. It was the first of several works inspired by the idea of Christmas, others being the masque On Christmas Night, the Nativity play The First Nowell, the great cantata Hodie (which includes a George Herbert setting). The Fantasia is notable both for its restraint (it is by far the least showy of Vaughan Williams’s Christmas pieces, but I’m sure the composer wasn’t intentionally setting out to please the high-minded), and also for the fact that it avoids the most familiar carols. This undoubtedly was intentional: Vaughan Williams wanted to give a wider lease of life to beautiful tunes like ‘On Christmas night’, which he himself had collected in Sussex. Beginning with an introductory cello solo which has a narrative quality (‘Once upon a time’—or should it be ‘In the beginning was the Word’?), the piece falls into four linked sections:

I ‘This is the truth sent from above’ (baritone solo with wordless choral accompaniment)II ‘Come all you worthy gentlemen’ (chorus and orchestra)III ‘On Christmas night’ (solo baritone)IV The last verses of parts II and III combined, words and music: final apotheosis with prominent chimes and repeated references to ‘A Virgin most Pure’. (Earlier in the work there is a fleeting reference to ‘The First Nowell’ but quite sharp ears are needed to spot it.) Then ‘the wassailers’ voices vanish into the distance, across the snow-covered fields and away into the night’. (Michael Kennedy).

Recordings

A King’s Singers Christmas album comprising 24 tracks for each day of Advent. The album features celebrated carols as Away in a Manger, specially arranged for the group and other traditional carols performed in their original versions. Five ...» More

Issued to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Vaughan Williams’s death, this collection is tantalizing: it starts with one of the best-selling discs in the catalogue, the Serenade to Music, and includes such favourites as the Five Mystical Songs and The ...» More

This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love:
Therefore don’t turn me from your door,
But hearken all, both rich and poor.

The first thing which I will relate
Is that God did man create,
The next thing which to you I’ll tell,
Woman was made with man to dwell.

Then, after this, ’twas God’s own choice
To place them both in Paradise,
There to remain, from evil free,
Except they ate of such a tree.

And they did eat, which was a sin,
And thus their ruin did begin.
Ruined themselves, both you and me,
And all of their posterity.

Thus we were heirs to endless woes,
Till God the Lord did interpose,
And so a promise soon did run,
That he would redeem us by his Son.

Come all you worthy gentlemen, that may be standing by,
Christ our blessed Saviour was born on Christmas Day.
The blessed Virgin Mary unto the Lord did pray.
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

Christ our Blessed Saviour now in the manger lay.
He’s lying in the manger, while the oxen feed on hay.
The blessed Virgin Mary unto the Lord did pray.
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.

When sin departs before thy grace,
Then life and health come in its place
Angels and men with joy may sing.
All for to see the new-born King.

God bless the ruler of this house and long on may he reign;

From out of darkness we have light
Which makes the angels sing this night.

Many happy Christmases he live to see again!
From out of darkness we have light
Which makes the angels sing this night.

This is the truth sent from above,
The truth of God, the God of love:
Therefore don’t turn me from your door,
But hearken all, both rich and poor.

The first thing which I will relate
Is that God did man create,
The next thing which to you I’ll tell,
Woman was made with man to dwell.

Then, after this, ’twas God’s own choice
To place them both in Paradise,
There to remain, from evil free,
Except they ate of such a tree.

And they did eat, which was a sin,
And thus their ruin did begin.
Ruined themselves, both you and me,
And all of their posterity.

Thus we were heirs to endless woes,
Till God the Lord did interpose,
And so a promise soon did run,
That he would redeem us by his Son.

Come all you worthy gentlemen, that may be standing by,
Christ our blessed Saviour was born on Christmas Day.
The blessed Virgin Mary unto the Lord did pray.
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

Christ our Blessed Saviour now in the manger lay.
He’s lying in the manger, while the oxen feed on hay.
The blessed Virgin Mary unto the Lord did pray.
O we wish you the comfort and tidings of joy!

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
News of great joy, news of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.

When sin departs before thy grace,
Then life and health come in its place
Angels and men with joy may sing.
All for to see the new-born King.

God bless the ruler of this house and long on may he reign;

From out of darkness we have light
Which makes the angels sing this night.

Many happy Christmases he live to see again!
From out of darkness we have light
Which makes the angels sing this night.